Spiritual Disciplines #10: Worship

            When most of us think of worship we think of music, or prayer, or sermons.  We might also think of a group of people gathered at a certain time and place for an event, or we may think of a worship service that is either traditional or contemporary, formal or informal, liturgical or non-liturgical.  All of those things are elements of worship, but worship itself is something bigger.

            The word worship comes from an old English word which means to ascribe worth to something.  To worship something or someone is to engage in a series of actions and attitudes that show that thing’s or that person’s worth.  In old English, one worshiped the king by bowing in his presence.  It was understood that to worship the king meant something different, lower, than worshiping God.

            Of course, in modern English we use the word worship only in reference to God.  God, and God alone, is the sole object and audience of our worship.  Worship is never about our personal preferences in music or style, but rather only about what is pleasing to God.  The good news is that God is pleased with many kinds of worship.

            I would like to offer you another definition of worship: Worship is what the soul does when it is aware of the presences of God.  We know that God is always present with us, but we are not always aware of God’s presence.  The things we do in worship singing, praying, preaching, are some ways that we can become aware of God’s presence.  These are what Richard Foster, in his book The Celebration of Discipline, calls “avenues to worship.”  These things are not worship itself, but they lead us to worship.  We all have different things that help us become aware of God’s presence and this is where different styles of worship and music come in.  We should all be willing to experience different worship and music from time to time.

            We should all gather for public worship whenever we can, we need each other.  However, each of us needs to worship each day, throughout the day, by becoming aware of God’s presence and doing those things that help make us aware and keep us aware of his presence.

            I would like to leave you this month with some of the lyrics of the Michael W, Smith song “The Heart of Worship.”

When the music fades

All is stripped away

And I simply come

Longing just to bring

Something that's of worth

That will bless your heart

I'll bring you more than a song

For a song in itself

Is not what you have required

You search much deeper within

Through the way things appear

You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

And it's all about you,

It's all about you, Jesus

I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it

When it's all about you,

It's all about you, Jesus